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UN / SYRIA ZEID HUMAN RIGHTS
STORY: UN / SYRIA ZEID HUMAN RIGHTS
TRT: 03:04
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 19 MARCH 2018, NEW YORK CITY
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, UNHQ exterior
19 MARCH 2018, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, ECOSOC Chamber
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“The Syrian conflict has been characterised by its absolute disregard for even the most minimal standards of principle and law. And it all began, seven years ago almost to the day, with the torture of children, and the impunity given by the Syrian State to those torturers. The emergence and spread of the cruellest of terrorist groups, took place on soil that was already being soaked in blood.”
4. Wide shot, dais
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“To push back terrorism, one must refrain from adopting the unprincipled and vicious attacks on innocent people that are the very marker, the very distinguishing feature, of the violent extremist groups themselves. The Syrian Government also claims it makes every effort to protect civilians. But when you are capable of torturing and indiscriminately killing your own people, you have long forfeited your own credibility.”
6. Wide shot, dais
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“This failure to protect the lives and rights of millions of people is corroding not only the work but also the legitimacy of the UN, humanity's most far-reaching system for global cooperation. If the Security Council's role in upholding the Charter, and human rights across the world, is blocked; if it can no longer rise to meet the challenge of crises and conflicts, then, as the UN and the great framework of international law begin to break down into irrelevance and inaction, human beings face enormous danger.”
8. Wide shot, delegates
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“Those who have perpetrated and are still perpetrating these mind-numbing crimes committed in Syria must be made to answer before a properly constituted court of law. This must be assured and made non-negotiable; for the victims; to uphold the legitimacy of the UN, including this body; to deter and prevent future violations; and to advance the pursuit of human rights, without fear or favour, around the world.”
10. Med shot, Kuwaiti ambassador
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“No settlement which shields the perpetrators from prosecution is worth discussing, simply because such a settlement would be utterly empty. For peace in Syria to be meaningful and lasting, a guarantee of justice for the Syrian people must be assured.”
12. Wide shot, ECOSOC Chamber
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said the Syrian conflict which began with the “torture of children” has been “characterised by its absolute disregard for even the most minimal standards of principle and law.”
Speaking at an Arria-formula meeting on the human rights situation in Syria, Zeid said his office had rung the loudest possible alarm bells about the fate of hundreds of thousands of terrified and vulnerable civilians caught up in fighting, stressing that these were civilians not terrorists. He noted that multiple parties to this conflict claim to justify their military offensives based on their fight against terrorism, but added, “to push back terrorism, one must refrain from adopting the unprincipled and vicious attacks on innocent people that are the very marker, the very distinguishing feature, of the violent extremist groups themselves.” He said the Syrian government claims that it is making every effort to protect civilians but “when you are capable of torturing and indiscriminately killing your own people, you have long forfeited your own credibility.”
The High Commissioner said unlawful methods of warfare have been used by all parties to the Syrian conflict. He said the Security Council has failed to take decisive action to defend human rights and prevent further loss of life despite the absolutely shameful conduct that has marked the conflict. He emphasized that in recent years the perpetrators of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Syria and elsewhere have repeatedly been shielded from justice by use of, or threat of the use of, the veto.
SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“This failure to protect the lives and rights of millions of people is corroding not only the work but also the legitimacy of the UN, humanity's most far-reaching system for global cooperation. If the Security Council's role in upholding the Charter, and human rights across the world, is blocked; if it can no longer rise to meet the challenge of crises and conflicts, then, as the UN and the great framework of international law begin to break down into irrelevance and inaction, human beings face enormous danger.”
Zeid noted that decisive decisions by the Security Council could still have a real impact on the situation in Syria and help to restore confidence in international order. He urged that the violations which have taken place in Syria be referred to the International Criminal Court. The High Commissioner added, “No settlement which shields the perpetrators from prosecution is worth discussing, simply because such a settlement would be utterly empty; for peace in Syria to be meaningful and lasting, a guarantee of justice for the Syrian people must be assured.”
"Arria-formula meetings" are informal, confidential gatherings which enable Security Council members to have a frank and private exchange of views, within a flexible procedural framework, with persons whom the inviting member or members of the Council believe it would be beneficial to hear and/or to whom they may wish to convey a message.
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